No Meadow Grounds Lake Will Affect Flight Navigation

To The Editor:

Your paper’s report of the anticipated draining of Meadow Ground Lake excites a concern about its effect on VFR (visual flight rules) navigation of aircraft. Even in these days of electronic navigation I believe the lake is an excellent aerial landmark, especially for use by student pilots navigating between preflight planned airports. I can just imagine a young lady on her first crosscountry solo training flight looking down to see a landmark lake directly under her red course line dawn on a Washington Sectional Chart and it’s not there. These are the things that make flying exciting for a newcomer.

The cognizant authorities should consider notifying the FAA to include the missing landmark in a NOTAM (notices to airmen) so that pilots would have immediate knowledge that this Aeronautical Navigation Chart is incorrect. The FAA will advise the charting agency of the change, and it should appear quickly in the electronic chart service and later in the paper copies.

I don’t see that this is an argument for keeping the lake wet, but it does show how a local change can have an effect on our complex society.